Friday, 6 February 2015

The relationship between Telcos and content providers has changed in the
process to the off-net model. Telcos have begun to offer billing, collection
and customer care to Internet companies that provide technology and platforms.

"The Internet has changed the digital economy in India". Earlier,
VAS customers used to be charged by carriers. Now, consumers are charged by the
app makers. The revenue share proportion between VAS providers and Telcos has
changed dramatically. It's gone from being skewed towards the Telcos to
favoring the app makers or content providers, creating a flutter among mobile
phone operators, which are demanding a greater share, citing their investments
in telecom networks.

Telcos now want a share of the revenue from over-the-top (OTT) players, or
app makers- Facebook, Google, Whatsapp - that use their networks to reach
consumers. Telecom operators the world over have been pushing for a regulatory
framework around OTT players or a mechanism for differential pricing - pay for
better access to a Telco’s network. However, Internet companies globally have
opposed such moves, saying that it would lean toward censorship. The Internet
should be free for all, they reason, saying Telcos anyway charge consumers for
using data. India's telecom regulator has said that while it continues to watch
developments in this area, it has no intention of regulating OTT players as of
now.

"There has to be something more than data usage that customers are
paying for, since it is in their interest too that customers experience is
always optimum. In our portfolio for telecom operators and CSP’s, we have the know-how, the
skills and the solutions you need to tackle the challenges of today and
tomorrow. We are a platform and product agnostic services company comfortable
working with a wide range of vendors and technology environments. At the heart
of everything we do is a drive to deliver tangible business results to our
clients.